Things to do in Delhi this weekend
A few picks for each part of the weekend, from a garden walk at 7 am to parathas in Old Delhi. Plus a plan for rain.
Saturday morning
Lodhi Garden
cool and green before 9 am
Fifteenth-century tombs inside a big park. Walk the loop, then breakfast at one of the cafés in Khan Market or Lodhi Colony.
Lodhi Road
Sunder Nursery and Humayun’s Tomb
two hours, side by side
A restored Mughal garden with ponds and old monuments, right next to Humayun’s Tomb. Both have entry tickets.
Nizamuddin
Saturday afternoon
Old Delhi on foot
go hungry
Take the Metro to Chandni Chowk, walk to Jama Masjid, and eat your way through Paranthe Wali Gali and the lanes around it.
Chandni Chowk
Mehrauli Archaeological Park
free, and quiet
Ruins, stepwells and tombs spread through woods near the Qutub Minar. Wear proper shoes and go with a friend.
Mehrauli
Saturday evening
Hauz Khas lake and the old madrasa
best near sunset
Walk the ruins above the lake as the light goes, then dinner in the village. The Deer Park next door is good for a short loop.
Hauz Khas Village
A talk or film at India Habitat Centre
many events are free
Talks, films, music and exhibitions most evenings. Check the week’s programme before you go.
Lodhi Road
Sunday, with kids
National Rail Museum
real old engines to climb
Steam engines, royal saloons and a toy train around the grounds. Plan for a morning.
Chanakyapuri
Dilli Haat
food from every state
Craft stalls and a row of state food counters in one open-air market. Small entry fee.
INA
If it rains
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
indoors, it’s raining
Modern and contemporary Indian art, free to enter, inside a mall. Lunch is one floor away.
Saket
National Gallery of Modern Art
a whole afternoon indoors
Indian art from the last 150 years in Jaipur House and a newer wing. Amrita Sher-Gil and Tagore are the big draws.
near India Gate
Short answers
What is free to do in Delhi this weekend?
Lodhi Garden, Mehrauli Archaeological Park and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art are free. Many talks and films at India Habitat Centre are free too.
What can I do in Delhi when it rains?
Spend the afternoon at the National Gallery of Modern Art near India Gate, or at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Saket.
What can I do with kids in Delhi on a weekend?
The National Rail Museum in Chanakyapuri has old engines to climb and a toy train. Dilli Haat in INA has crafts and food from every state.
Is After This available in Delhi?
Yes. It works wherever you are and picks things near you for your moment: food, places, events, films and stays. Android early access is live; iPhone has a waitlist.